Yi-Zhi-Jian-Shi: A Study of Character and Lexicon in the Taiwanese Poetry of Song Ze-Lai

Author: Siang-Uei Lin(Department of Chinese and Literature,National Taiwan Normal University)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 48, No.2
Date：December 2003
Pages：95-118
DOI：10.6210/JNTNULL.2003.48(2).02

Abstract：

In this study I discuss the customary word choice, use of character and lexical strata in "Yi-Zhi-Jian-Shi," the Taiwanese poetry of Song Ze-lai, and then explore Song's concepts regarding language. First I select ten poems from the book to classify the use of Taiwanese character. Next, by looking at Chen's（1989）analysis of the use of character in Song's Taiwanese fiction "Kang-bao-e-Da-mao-shi" （1987）, I elucidate Song's "transition" in the use of character. I find that, first, Song's use of character is mainly etymological and, second, he uses a less Taiwanese character. Thirdly, from "Kang-bao-e-Da-mao-shi"（1987）to "Yi-Zhi-Jian-Shi" （2001）, Song uses more biao-yin and biao-yi characters than previously , especially the former.
Furthermore I will discuss Song's word choice and lexical strata. According to a division into tai-hua common, wen-yan, Taiwanese and borrowed strata, I can analyze the word choice in "Yi-Zhi-Jian-Shi" and see how several lexical strata can coexist and what sounds the reader will need to pronounce. We can see that in this book Song often mixes Taiwanese with Mandarin and wen-yan vocabulary; therefore, the total literary lexicon of Song's reader will be greatly increased, although the Mandarin vocabulary may sometimes hinder the reader's comprehension.

Keywords：Taiwanese poetry, lexical stratum, Song Ze-lai

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